Tag Archives: european
Vietnam spots possible wreckage from Malaysian plane
Vietnam spots possible wreckage from Malaysian plane (AFP) / 10 March 2014 The United States sent an FBI team to investigate, but US officials stressed there was as yet no evidence of terrorism. Vietnamese searchers on Sunday spotted possible aircraft debris after combing the sea for nearly 48 hours in the hunt for a Malaysian passenger jet that vanished with 239 people aboard, officials said. The discovery, which could confirm the worst fears of anguished relatives, came after Malaysia’s government launched a terror probe into the Boeing 777’s disappearance, investigating suspect passengers who boarded with stolen passports. “We received information from a Vietnamese plane saying that they found two broken objects, which seem like those of an aircraft, located about 50 miles (80 kilometres) to the southwest of Tho Chu Island,” said an official from Vietnam’s National Committee for Search and Rescue, who did not want to be named. The island is part of a small archipelago off the southwestern tip of Vietnam, and lies northeast of Malaysia’s capital Kuala Lumpur, from where Malaysia Airlines (MAS) flight MH370 left early Saturday bound for Beijing. “As it is night they cannot fish them out for proper identification. They have located the position of the areas and flown back to land,” the Vietnamese official added. Planes and boats would be sent back to the area on Monday to investigate further, he said. Two large oil slicks which authorities suspect were caused by jet fuel were detected late Saturday farther south of the island chain, and observed later by an AFP journalist aboard a Vietnamese spotter plane. Both MAS and Malaysia’s civil aviation authority, however, said they had no new information to offer after the apparent Vietnamese discovery. Malaysian officials said earlier that MH370 may have inexplicably turned back towards Kuala Lumpur. The plane, captained by a veteran MAS pilot, had relayed no indications of distress, and weather at the time was said to be stable. The United States sent an FBI team to investigate, but US officials stressed there was as yet no evidence of terrorism. “There is a distinct possibility the airplane did a turn-back, deviating from the course,” said Malaysia’s air force chief, General Rodzali Daud, citing radar data. But MAS chief executive Ahmad Jauhari Yahya said the Boeing 777’s systems would have set off alarm bells in that case. “When there is an air turn-back the pilot would be unable to proceed as planned,” he said, adding authorities were “quite puzzled” over the situation. A total of 40 ships and 34 aircraft from an array of Southeast Asian countries, China and the US have been involved in the search, with two Australian surveillance aircraft due to join in. Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi had asked Malaysia to continue the search, saying every minute counts, according to a report from the official Xinhua news agency early Monday. The report said he told his Malaysian counterpart Anifah Aman: “Search and rescue should not stop so long as there is a glimmer of hope.” The Chinese government will send a working group later Monday morning to Malaysia, Xinhua said. It will include officials from the foreign ministry, ministry of public security and transport ministry, according to the foreign ministry’s website. Its tasks will include investigating the incident and helping family members already in Malaysia. After it emerged that two people boarded the flight with stolen European passports, Malaysia’s transport minister Hishammuddin Hussein said he was looking at four suspect passengers in all. He said authorities were examining CCTV footage of the two with fake passports. “We have managed to get visuals of them,” he said, adding that Malaysia was liaising with other countries’ intelligence agencies on the findings. He gave no more details. Hishammuddin also confirmed the FBI was dispatching personnel to Malaysia. “At the same time our own intelligence has been activated, and of course, the counter-terrorism units… from all the relevant countries have been informed,” he said, refusing to rule out the possibility of a hijack. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak was quoted by The Star newspaper saying the government would review and enhance airport security protocols, if needed. Technical advisers from Boeing and the US Federal Aviation Administration are en route to Asia to help with the probe. The flight vanished about an hour after taking off from Kuala Lumpur. A total of 153 Chinese nationals were on board, and relatives camping out at Beijing’s main international airport complained about the lack of news. “The airline company didn’t contact me, it was a friend,” a middle-aged woman surnamed Nan told reporters, holding back tears. Her brother-in-law was on the flight. “I can’t understand the airline company. They should have contacted the families first thing.” MAS insisted it was doing its best to keep relatives in China informed given the confusion over the plane’s fate, and has offered to fly them to Malaysia to be closer to the search-and-rescue operation. Two European names — Christian Kozel, an Austrian, and Luigi Maraldi of Italy — were listed on the passenger manifest. But neither man boarded the plane, officials said. Both had their passports stolen in Thailand over the past two years. Thai police said on Sunday they were investigating a possible passport racket as flight information seen by AFP gave new details about bookings made in Thailand with the two stolen European passports. The tickets booked in Maraldi and Kozel’s names were made on March 6, 2014 and issued in the Thai city of Pattaya, a popular beach resort south of Bangkok. The e-ticket numbers for their flights are consecutive and both were paid for in Thai baht. Each ticket cost THB 20,215 (US$625). “Kozel” was booked to travel from Kuala Lumpur to Beijing on MH370, then on to Amsterdam and Frankfurt. “Maraldi” was booked on the same flights until Amsterdam, where he was to continue to Copenhagen. Interpol confirmed that “at least two passports” recorded in its Stolen and Lost Travel Documents database were used by passengers on board the Malaysian flight. For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
Hidden secrets of Global Village
Hidden secrets of Global Village (Sadiq Shaban) / 12 February 2014 You are likely to take home a special piece that has a soul and sensory value, unlike anything. There is so much more to Global Village than meets the eye. As one of the region’s most visited cultural, entertainment and shopping destinations, Global Village tucks away some of the finest artifacts, relics and objets d’art from around the world. Some of the interesting products on display at the pavilions of the UAE and the UK at Global Village. — KT photos by Juidin Bernarrd and M. Sajjad Those with a knack for the exotic and curio will find exquisite handmade goods, authentic wooden statutes and hand-painted ceramics in several of the 30 pavilions dotting the 17-million-square-feet facility. But that is not all. From Jordanian shadow artists whose calligraphy is sure to leave you awe-struck to waterproof papier-mâché masks from Venice, it is the less-explored side of Global Village, which should set you thinking to take another trip. “Throughout Global Village, there are a plethora of handmade artifacts that are unique to each country’s pavilion. Visitors can find lots of authentic tribal shields and masks at the African Pavilion, as well as great mosaic handicrafts and lamps that are available from the Moroccan Pavilion. We want to make sure that when people come to Global Village, they get to experience products that are genuine and hold real cultural value to the country it comes from. Bringing authentic goods to Global Village makes the cultural experience we provide to visitors unique within the UAE and the Middle East,” Ahmed Hussain, Executive Director of Operations, Global Village, told Khaleej Times. Once you sashay into the African Pavilion and walk past psychedelic stalls, you cannot help notice some of the most striking hand-carved artifacts from Kenya, South Africa, Senegal, Madagascar and Gambia. Intricate designs on these products, lending them a touch of the peregrine, are often made on the finest types of wood such as ebony, mahogany, rosewood and soapstone. It is tough to take a pick from the vast variety of styles, often varying within the same context, but the African solid wood-carved tribal mask surely stands out. Worn during special events or situations that take place in the tribal communities, these souvenirs reflect the true soul of Africa. Similarly, you will find large wooden croc-figurines for sale along with uncountable designs that are meant to bring good energy, warding off bad spirits. The Tanzanian stall features stunning knife paintings, a unique form of art in which artists use knives to paint. This form of painting, which is quite a rarity, affords a close relationship between the artist and the painting surface. The displays have brilliant textures reflective of the spontaneous and dramatic movement of this art form. “We have been looking around in the African Pavilion and ended up buying an unusual stash of things like horns, knife paintings and vintage walking sticks — all of which carry the signatures of these innovative cultures. I visited the Mauritania, Angola and Nigeria stalls. Without doubt, the wood-carved products available here are priceless and the best part is that one can have them at very competitive prices,” said Sarmad Misgar, a Pakistani art collector visiting Global Village. In the Afghanistan Pavilion nearby, you can meander through piddly kiosks selling the latest crop of mountain almonds, pistachios, walnuts, dried white berries, apricots, figs and raisins. Soon you will come across the daintiest Afghan rugs in town. These eco-friendly carpets are made from colours derived from pomegranate, herbs and cinnamon in addition to other natural ingredients. The best quality Afghan wool and silk, one of the salesmen in a stall told Khaleej Times, is used in these oriental rugs, which are adorned with elongated human and animal figures. Usually woven in Shindand and Adraskan regions in Afghanistan’s Herat province, the rugs are available in warm tones and extraordinary patterns. An alcove in the European Pavilion transports you back to the 15th century Tudor England. The combined pavilions of France, the UK and Germany offers the service of History Land Studios, one of London’s best-known photo studios for old-time portraits. The branch in Global Village, the only one outside of the UK, helps you create your own history by dressing you in costumes from the 15th and 16th century England. You can also have your pictures taken in Victorian attire or the gangster Wild West style. “The History Land Studios is an experience of a lifetime. They have a splendid staff that ensure you are comfortable, styled and pampered royally before you get your portrait clicked,” Kenneth Raley, an English tourist visiting the pavilion, marvelled. The Indian Pavilion, owing to its sheer size (largest in Global Village with 300 stalls), has the feel of a traditional Asian bazaar. However, the must-visit cubbyhole in the sprawling enclosure is a corner shop that sells the splashiest collection of Punjabi juttis. Bargain hunters can haggle for a wide range of bright-coloured traditional footwear here. Embroidered with beautiful phulkari work, these shoes are made from genuine leather with multi-hued sequins and flamboyant threads. Curiously, there is no left or right foot distinction, because this party-wear is supposed to take the shape of the foot over a period of time. Available in flat soles, the sharp extended tips of these must-haves are dazzlingly embellished. In its 18th season now, Global Village has emerged not only as a great entertainment venue, one that has stolen the hearts of millions, but an ideal destination which showcases a selection of the world’s most contemporary designers, artists and craftsmen selling their products directly to public. From the enigmatical figurines ensconced in the various African shoppes to the satiny rugs in the Afghanistan Pavilion, Global Village is a track through some of the world’s most avant garde ideas. sadiq@khaleejtimes.com For more news from Khaleej Times, follow us on Facebook at facebook.com/khaleejtimes , and on Twitter at @khaleejtimes Continue reading
From Sydney to Dubai: Global fireworks party welcomes in 2014
From Sydney to Dubai: Global fireworks party welcomes in 2014 (Agencies) / 1 January 2014 The world welcomed in 2014 with spectacular firework displays as a wave of pyrotechnic extravaganzas swept around the globe to celebrate the New Year. Record fireworks at Palm Jumeirah on New Year. – AFP With fireworks, dancing and late-night revelry, millions around the world welcomed 2014 on Tuesday, gathering for huge displays of jubilation and unity as the new year arrived. Europe joined in the party with a giant salvo in London, after Dubai attempted to break the work record for the biggest-ever fireworks show and Sydney got the ball rolling ahead of Asia with a dazzling display. Dubai glamour and over-the-top achievements like the world’s tallest skyscraper, sought to break another record by creating the largest fireworks show. In Ukraine, anti-government protesters hoped to set their own record for the most people to sing a national anthem at the same time. Crowds heading to New York City’s Times Square could expect the traditional ball drop but no mayor this year. The new year was to be rung in by US Supreme Court Justice Sonia Sotomayor instead. Revelers wait in New York’s Times Square to celebrate the New Year on December 31, 2013 in New York City. – AFP In Dubai, the Middle East hub was hoping to break the Guinness World Record by setting off more than 400,000 fireworks. The glittering display lasted around six minutes and spanned 100 kilometres (60 miles) of the coast, focusing on the Burj Khalifa, the world’s tallest tower at 830 metres high. People crowded in the streets below took pictures as the thundering display filled the skies. “It’s amazing,” said May Hinnawi, a 35-year-old Syrian. “I will tell my children and grand children I was here to see this event.” Kuwait set the record in 2011 with an hour-long blast of 77,282 fireworks. Pro-European integration supporters take part in New Year celebrations in Independence Square in central Kiev on December 31, 2013. – Reuters On Kiev’s main square, at least 100,000 Ukrainians sang their national anthem in a sign of support for integration with Europe. The square has been the scene of massive pro-European protests for more than a month, triggered by President Viktor Yanukovych’s decision to ditch a key deal with the European Union. Britain planned to welcome 2014 with a mixture of futuristic fireworks and torch-lit tradition. For people in London, the New Year offered the opportunity to taste the fireworks. Fireworks light the sky above the London Eye and the Houses of Parliament over the river Thames during the New Year celebrations in central London just after midnight on January 1, 2014. AFP The city’s mayor — in conjunction with telecommunications company Vodafone — said this year’s explosive display would come packed with peach-flavored snow, edible banana confetti and orange-scented bubbles, allowing people to feast with more than just their eyes. The multisensory display will also include scratch-and-sniff programs, LED wristbands and fruit-flavoured sweets. Fireworks explode over Sydney Harbour at midnight, ushering in the new year, in Sydney on January 1, 2014. – Reuters In Sydney, Australia, fireworks organisers expected to set off 7 metric tons (7.7 US tons) of pyrotechnics in 12 seconds in a display that sprayed from the sails of the Sydney Opera House and the city’s harbor bridge. “It filled up the whole sky,” said Mona Rucek, a 28-year-old tourist from Munich, Germany. Closer to the International Dateline, New Zealand concluded 2013 with its own fireworks that erupted from Auckland’s Sky Tower while cheering crowds danced in the streets of the South Pacific island nation’s largest city. People release balloons to celebrate the New Year during the annual countdown ceremony by the Prince Park Tower Tokyo on January 1, 2014. AFP In Tokyo, five priests at the Zojoji temple used ropes to swing a wooden pole against a large bell, sounding the first of 108 gongs to mark the new year. Simultaneously, “2014” lit up in white lights on the modern Tokyo Tower in the background. Juji Muto said he was curious to hear how the bell sounded. The 75-year-old retiree said he wishes every year for good health. Visitors take pictures and videos during a light show as part of a New Year countdown celebration as part of a New Year countdown celebration on the Bund in Shanghai on January 1, 2014. Reuters China planned light shows at part of the Great Wall near Beijing and at the Bund waterfront in Shanghai. The city of Wuhan in central Hubei province called off its fireworks show and banned fireworks downtown to avoid worsening its smog. Pope Francis leaves after visiting the traditional Crib in St Peter’s Square at the Vatican on December 31, 2013. – Reuters Pope Francis used his year-end prayer service of thanksgiving to urge people to ask themselves: Did they spend 2013 to further their own interests or to help others? The pontiff asked people to reflect if they used the past year to make the places where they live more livable and welcoming. Citing Rome as an example, Francis said the city is full of tourists, but also refugees. Fireworks light up the sky as Filipinos welcome the New Year on Jan. 1, 2014 in Manila, Philippines. AP Six killed and more than 260 people had been injured by firecracker blasts and celebratory gunfire in the Philippines, a nation marking the end of a year of tragic disasters, including a Nov. 8 typhoon that left more than 6,100 dead and nearly 1,800 missing. “Many here are welcoming the new year after losing their mothers, fathers, siblings and children so you can imagine how it feels,” said village chief Maria Rosario Bactol of Anibong community in Tacloban, the city worst hit by Typhoon Haiyan. “I tell them to face the reality, to move on and stand up, but I know it will never be easy.” In New York City, outgoing Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who hobnobbed with celebrities during past Times Square celebrations, was sitting out this year’s festivities to spend time with family and friends. Mayor-elect Bill de Blasio will be sworn in at 12:01 a.m. on Wednesday at his Brooklyn home. Sotomayor, a New York City native, will lead the final 60-second countdown and push the ceremonial button to drop the ball. Continue reading
